Of Chocolate and Children
by Swamp Fairy
Summary: Oh yes I did. An AU Fringe world- with the characters as children. It's Peter's first day of school, and he's just a little bit scared... what do you think? Worth continuing, or best left as is?


**Because it was bound to happen eventually. I own nothing but a fervent obsession for this show. I owe thanks to I Was Her Moments Ago, for providing me with the inspiration for a little Astrid, and listening to my rants about Charlie and his flying polar bear (which, sadly, got cut).**

* * *

"Mama, I don't want to go," five year-old Peter Bishop whined.

"You'll love school," his mom replied, glancing at her watch. "Mommy has to go now, so just hop on out of this car and go make some new friends!"

"But... but..." he stuttered.

"Now, dear, here's your lunchbox and pencil case. Now shoo."

"Mama!"

"Don't make me come get you," she warned.

"Alright," he sighed, jumping out of the car, holding his Spiderman lunchbox protectively across his chest.

"Mommy loves you," she said, pulling away from the curve. "Bye, baby!"

Peter walked up to the door, as slowly as he could. The school was so tall and intimidating. He had stared up at it, awed, so many times. But now that he was really here, he wanted to be back home eating pop-tarts and watching cartoons. There were so many other kids, running and pushing and shouting. But they all seemed to have friends. Peter felt small and alone. Then he saw a little blond girl over on the swing set, all by herself.

She was wearing a pair of tatty overalls over a stained pink shirt. Her hair was thin and slightly straggly. She was short and skinny, a little too small for the swings. She kept kicking her legs, but they didn't reach the ground. Nonetheless, she stared down at the dirt with a determined expression on her smudged face. Her forearms were covered in bruises.

"Hi!" he exclaimed, skipping over to her. "I'm Peter. What's your name?"

"She's Olivia Dunham," a voice from behind him pronounced. "And she's a meany."

He turned around to see a little dark-skinned girl staring at him, wide-eyed. Her curly black hair was tied up in pigtails and she was wearing a pretty pink dress. Her white socks came up above her ankles, but one was falling down.

"Who're you?" he asked curiously. "How do you know?"

"I'm Athtid," she lisped proudly. "My big brother Charlie's in third grade, and she's in first. He says she beats up on all the boys."

Peter turned to look at Olivia again. She stared sullenly at them, but her attention was diverted by another little blond girl. This one was plumper and looked slightly better kempt, but she and Olivia were obviously family.

"Livi!" she cried. "Did you make some new friends? Hi! I'm Rachel. Livia's my big sister! She's in first grade and doesn't have any friends, though she does have a crush on a booooy, which is just gross. I'm Rachel. I'm starting kindergarten! I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun! There are going to be teachers, and students, and lunches, and friends, and recess, and lunches, and I'm gonna learn how to read!"

Astrid and Peter exchanged bewildered looks as Rachel rushed on in her speech.

"I just turned five two weeks ago and I got a blue dress and a picture book and a plastic pony! It was the best birthday ever! Ella- she's my imaginary friend- thought so too! It was awesome! There was this chocolate cake, and vanilla ice-cream, and Livi spilled it all over and daddy got mad, but mommy said he had to be nice on my birthday! How old are you?"

Peter waited to make sure she was done before he answered.

"I'm five," he said shyly. "I'm just starting kinder... kinder..."

"Kindergarten," Astrid finished for him. "Me too!"

"Astrid!" a new boy called, running up. Peter stared up at him, awed. The new boy was BIG. And STRONG. He looked like a football player or something!

"This is my brother," Astrid announced, beaming. "He's in third grade." She waited a moment, then said, "Aren't you gonna ask?"

"Ask what?" wondered Peter.

"How we're siblings."

"Huh?" was his eloquent response.

"You know, cuz he's vanilla and I'm chocolate!"

"I know!" Rachel interrupted. "It's because you're adopted!"

"Astrid, I warned you about her," Charlie said, ignoring Rachel but shooting a dark look at Olivia. "What're you doing?"

"These are my new friends!" Astrid said. "This is Rachel, and this is Peter."

"Alright," said Charlie. Then, to Olivia, "But if you lay a finger on my baby sister, I'll beat you up!"

"I'd like to see you try!" exclaimed Olivia, jumping to the ground. Her green eyes were like steel. "I can take you any day!"

"Come on, Olivia," Rachel said sternly, placing a small hand on her big sister's arm. "Don't make trouble. After all, it's only the first day! Though not for you, cuz you went here last year. But for me and Peter and Astrid. Not Charlie, either, cuz he's biiiiiiig. And I bet he has a girlfriend. Do ya? Huh? Huh? I bet she's pretty. I bet she's a cheerleader! I'm gonna be a cheerleader someday, wait and see. And I'll have a boyfriend as handsome as you, I bet! But Olivia doesn't like you. She likes a guy named John. John Scott. She _like_ likes him, and they're gonna get married someday, and have a bunch of children and a big house with a purple fence! And me and my husband and my daughter- I'm gonna name her Elle- are gonna go and visit everyday, and it'll be awesome!"

Peter had barely understood a word of it, but apparently Olivia had.

"How could you?" she demanded, looking like she was about to burst into tears. "How could you tell them?"

She turned and ran off into the bushes. Rachel looked like she was about to start crying, too. She turned the other way and went running into the school. Charlie shook his head and walked off, muttering to himself. Astrid shrugged at Peter. "I'll go after Rachel if you'll talk to Olivia," she offered.

"Okay," he agreed.

"I hope she doesn't eat you," the little girl said seriously, staring at him, big-eyed. "Good luck." She turned and dashed after Rachel. Steeling himself, Peter crawled into the bushes.

Olivia was sitting on the ground, rubbing mud onto her cheeks to hide her tears.

"What do you want?" she asked sullenly, glaring up at him.

He sat down next to her, undaunted. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know," he said, genuinely confused. "I couldn't understand a word your little sister said."

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Really."

There was a brief silence, then Peter pulled a squished, melted chocolate bar out of his back pocket and tore it in half. "Here," he said. She took it gratefully.

"Peter?"

"Yes?"

"Will you... will you be my friend?"

"Alright," he agreed. "If you'll be mine."

"Spit on it," she said, spitting in her chocolatey hand and holding it out. He complied and the two children shook, then crawled back out of the bushes. Astrid and Rachel were on the swings.

"I'm sorry, Livi," Rachel said, downcast.

"It's okay," her big sister said. Astrid hopped off, looking frightened. "You can have your swing back," she said.

"Good," Olivia spat, heading towards it. But Peter stopped her.

"If you wanna make friends, you have to share," he whispered. "Let her have the swing."

"Fine," she sighed. "You can keep the swing."

"Really?" asked Astrid, thrilled. "Thanks!" But any further debate was ended by the bell. Olivia turned, scooped up her patched backpack, and ran off to join the queue of first graders. Peter reached out and took Astrid's hand, and the two followed Rachel in, ready for their first day of school.

* * *

**I know, I know. But really. Olivia was an abused, experimented on child. She was bound to be a little bitter. Now. You know the drill- review!!!!!!!**


End file.
